The birthday boy for today is Johannes Matthias Ferdinand Ludwig, who was born on March 9, 1866. That means today would be his 160th birthday. Ferdinand was the son of Peter and Elizabeth (Gratz) Ludwig. A previous post was written about Ferdinand’s parents titled, Peter’s 45th Birthday That story highlighted the fact that Ferdinand’s father, Peter, had a Leap Year Day birthday. Ferdinand was the firstborn child in his Ludwig family. He was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells. We can take a look at an image of his baptism record below.

Ferdinand is found in the 1870 census at the age of 4. His father was a farmer in the Apple Creek Township.

Next, we find the Ludwig’s in the 1880 census. Ferdinand was 14 years old and had been confirmed at Immanuel, New Wells in 1879. Three more Ludwig children had been added to this Ludwig family during the previous decade.

We cannot determine where Ferdinand was living in 1890 because that year’s census records were destroyed in a fire. However, we do know that Ferdinand got married in the early 1890’s, so we will now take a look at the woman who became Ferdinand’s bride. It will not take long because I was not able to find much information about her early life. Mary Elizabeth Norwood was born on November 20, 1874. Her later death certificate says that she was born in Louisiana. However, census entries say that she was born in either Florida or Missouri. I also found an Ancestry.com family tree that speculated that she may have been born in Texas. Her parents were George and Mary (Montgomery) Norwood. I failed to located Mary in the only census we would be able to view prior to her marriage which was taken in 1880.

Somehow, both Mary Norwood and Ferdinand Ludwig made their way to Mill Creek, Illinois. These two were married on August 24, 1892, as is indicated on the Illinois marriage record pictured here. This document says that both the bride and the groom were from Mill Creek, which is located not far from the city of Dongola in Union County, Illinois.

This couple had quite a few children, but I am not certain exactly how many. It may have been as many as 13 children. When the 1900 census was taken, we find the Ludwig’s living in or near Dongola, Illinois where Ferdinand was a blacksmith. At that time, there were 4 children in their household. This census entry says that Mary was born in Florida.

When the 1910 census was taken, we find the Ludwig’s living in Missouri. They were living in the Valle Township in Jefferson County, Missouri, which is where the city of De Soto is located. There were 8 children in the Ludwig household, and Ferdinand was a blacksmith. This entry says that Mary was born in Missouri.

Mary Ludwig died in 1917 at the age of 42. Her death certificate below says that she died in De Soto. This form says that her birthplace was Louisiana.

The above certificate says that Mary was buried in the City Cemetery in De Soto. Findagrave.com does not have an entry for her in that cemetery.

Ferdinand is found as a widower when the 1920 census was taken. He and his family were living in De Soto where he was a laborer in a factory. Six children were still living with their father, and some of them who were in the work force.

Ferdinand made another move during the next decade. In the 1930 census, Ferdinand was living in St. Louis with 2 sons and a daughter. Ferdinand was a blacksmith for a company that was manufacturing screws.

Ferdinand Ludwig died in 1936 at the age of 70. His death certificate below says he died at the age of 67, but that is based on the fact that it also says that he was born on March 9, 1869, not 1866. He died at the Manchester Nursing Home in St. Louis.

We can also read this obituary for Ferdinand.

The death certificate and obituary say that Ferdinand was buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Louis. There is an entry for an F.M. Ludwig in that cemetery, but it gives no birth or death dates for him, and there is also no gravestone photo.

Given that Ferdinand and his wife had so many children, there must be quite a few descendants around these days. Hopefully, some of them will get the opportunity to read this post.